❀For all of the perfect things I doubt❀

There he was, in the thick of the most intense hunt of his career. What had started out in an ancient temple of some Midas Druids had turned into so much more. There had been a rumor that some lamps had been turned to darkness leaking, muddy soup caldrons, sparking outrage and discord throughout the world. Only by finding the treasure in this ancient temple could light and sweetness be returned to the world, in addition to turning whatever he wanted into edible gold candy!

As he navigated the booby traps and maze-like turns in the cramped, stale temple, the clues and secret passages gave way to huge caverns wrought with waterfalls of glittering jam and candycane stalagmites. Brown sugar quicksand nearly cobbled him and his team of teddybears up, but a watermelon boat saved them. This was going great!

Oh no! It was always a jinx to contemplate how well something was going before reaching the actual end! As if his very thoughts summoned them, the army of literal darkness sprang from the hall he'd just squeezed through. Each demon was like a black hole or some such void-like equivalent. It was really too back, because on a broken column just yards away was the item of his dreams! Theo tried to outrun them, crying as his fuzzy helpers were scarfed up into the unknown by his attackers. His only chance was the gold and candy magic contained in....*click* a tile hidden under dirt sunk, tripping him while also bringing on the last and worst booby-trap he'd encountered yet...thousands of moss monsters! The moist, green vegetation took the shape of ostriches, using their necks like whips to split his flesh as they rushed from behind the column. Attackers from both sides. If he could just reach--


Now dragged unwillingly out of his REM cycle, the paralyzing effects the brain puts on a body to try and eliminate thrashing about and screaming wore off, leading the poor young man to launch out of his bed and onto the floor in a tangle of limbs. Theo continued to flail wildly, screaming as if the very worst was happening until he abruptly stopped. The dream was gone.

He wasn't in the depths of a damp, musty cave, inches from the magical, giant, and golden lollipop that would make him both full of sweetness and rich. There were no demons and moss monsters gripping his legs. He was in his room. His body laid upon the rich crushed velvet rug fit for a king, which fit the room's current decor perfectly. All fabrics were in deep crimsons and violets, and all furniture was coated in gold, including his bed frame. It was elaborately carved with filigree patterns and gilded, stretched into a king-worthy size. The canopy above draped sheer red curtains down to the floor, offering the illusion of safety while snoozing away. The room was dimly lit by the tiny lights forever shining on his crown exhibit and his countless shelves of treasures and other valuables. The sight calmed him. The failing hunt had been a dream, something of a relief yet contrarily disappointing that there was probably no such treasure existing in the world.

There was no more sound from the door, so the boy very nearly went back to sleep to endure the nightmare on the off chance he'd actually succeed and acquire such a treasure, but his ever active sense of smell was picking up something. Something sweet. Driven by beastly hunger and still extremely groggy, Theo crawled forward until he reached his door, clawing upward to turn the knob and crack it open. If Lester was expecting to meet a sleepy beast eye to eye, he was about to be very surprised. Peering up at him from his animalistic position, a wrinkled and disheveled Theo grunted some sort of greeting to his friend, making a sniffing nose in the basket's direction. Apparently that was enough for admittance, since he backed up and the door opened wider. Crawling back to the soft rug, he plopped down and patted the floor near him, as good of an invitation inside as he could muster.

"It's eeaaarlllyyyy..." Theo finally whined in english, pouting a little. He enjoyed visits from his friends, but...sleep. Sleeeep. "Lester....why early? Makes sad..."

Theo squinted at him from his prone position, enticed by the smells wafting from the basket though not much by the words coming from his perky, morning-type friend's face. Still slightly beastly, Theo sat up and observed the spread Lester had brought and set up, hunching over with the posture of a ninety year old man to claw at and gnaw on a blueberry muffin. Crumbs clung to his cheeks and lips while also falling into and onto his wrinkly shirt. His mind wandered without much direction, partially plotting how he could get back to sleep. He could just lay back down right here and slumber, leaving Lester to either wait to go on ahead. Maybe he should just crawl over and give Lester Smaug, then once he was pacified he could just snug up and they could both go back to bed and try again at a more human hour. That actually sounded nice, having the comfort of a warm body he trusted to soothe him into sweet dreams. With Lester's help, he'd get that golden lolli scepter this time, shadow demons and moss monsters or no! That wasn't how it worked, but Theo's mind was rolling with it anyway.

His posture improved greatly as Lester got to the more convincing part of his campaign. His wits as well as the light in his usually bright and attentive eyes returned with a snap. He'd saved the sweetest, bestest words for last; trophies and treasure. "Why didn't you lead with that?" Theo asked, thankfully coherent now. All his animalistic qualities melted away, revealing a sleep mussed boy thrilled with eating his favorite breakfast foods before a grand day of sneaking around with his best friend, grabbing shinies on the way out. "That sounds super fun. Do I need to bring anything?" he asked, grabbing a plate to load it with waffles smeared in butter and drizzled in warm maple syrup. Like most teenaged boys, Theo ate like the food could evaporate any second unless it was shoved down his gullet at the speed of a puppy battling siblings for kibble. "Also, you always have the best food with you. Mmmmm," he murmured through chewing.

Mulling over the words Lester had said earlier while Theo'd been plotting how to get back to sleep, his brain worked through the details. He was glad Lester asked him, but there was a part of him that worried he wasn't the right man for the job. Still, he'd roll with it. Les was a smart guy, so he had his reasons. "So, these baddies," he started after a gulp of juice. "Who and where are they?"

"Oh, is that all?" he scoffed, devouring all the food his stomach could comfortably hold. normally he ate more than that, but all this talk of stealth made him think being so full that movement was a chore might not be the best preparation. As he raised up to put on something less sleepish, he mused over the info he'd been given. "The Electric Psychedelic Pussycat Swingers Club? Is that really their real name?" he asked, breaking into chuckles of disbelief as he pulled his usual black tracksuit over his wrinkled white shirt and coin-patterned shorts. The scarf was untied from his leg and placed at its proper place around his neck. This outfit was silent in its stretchiness, making little noise when the fabrics came into friction. He hopped across his floor to his bathroom while simultaneously pulling on his trusty brown boots over socked feet. He tumbled into his intended location after his feet got tangled, but it phased him not as he rose right back up to brush his teeth, wash his face, and tame his ebony strands.

Those poor animals and shinies! To be mistreated this way, tossed about illegally while pretending to be good. He couldn't stand for it. If Lester needed someone to endorse the cause, he'd come to the right man! He may not have the best skillset depending on the environment and other variables, but he knew how important this was. Lester would find no resistance from him.

He was now motivated, and thus busted back out of his bathroom to peer around his room for anything he might need. Himself and weapons, Lester had said? Theo rushed over to a wrapped sword leaning in a shadowed corner of his room. Reaching a hand out, he almost grabbed the hilt in his frenzied plight to get going when he hesitated. This sword...last time he'd used it, he hadn't felt like himself, and had felt terrible after. It was ravenous for blood as much as it made him ravenous for food after. That didn't seem like a good match with no-kill this mission, nor was he fond of the idea of having it on him even if the job was completely different. His features were tense as he thought it over, ultimately deciding to leave it behind. Jello magic would just have to do.

Clapping his hands together and giving them a little rub, he whirled and his eyes set on his friend, alight with energy. "This is almost as good as the quest to get the giant golden lollipop that makes edible gold candy and saves the world!" exclaimed the young man, referencing his dream as if it was a real thing. Maaaybe he wasn't all the way awake yet, but certainly enough to begin traveling. By the time they got there, he'd be in peak mental condition...as much as Theo was actually capable.

As he'd spun to look to where his friend had been earlier, his words bounced off the empty rug. Since he was still just a tiny bit out of it, it took him a full blink to realize he'd been talking to a missing person. He'd made sure to rush and get ready so he wouldn't hold anyone up. So where did Lester go-- "KYAAH!" he suddenly yowled, startled by the arms around his waist. His feet were off the ground. A spin! Oh, now they were falling! Thankfully his plushy bed was right there to catch them and avoid injury, though that had very well seemed the point. Lester had made sure to throw them both onto the mattress, which seemed counter productive to leaving, but Theo wouldn't complain. It was clear now that Lester had been hiding to ambush him, especially since the younger male was laughing now. Before he knew it, his own mouth had broken into a grin and a hearty laugh. Funny, he'd just been musing earlier when he was more asleep how much he wanted to crawl back into bed, Lester or no. He got his wish?

He knew with the importance of this mission that they couldn't stay, but his bed really was very comfortable. Worthy of a king. A second warm body in it made it just that much harder to get out of. That, and his initial flailing had tangled them a bit, confounded more as he twisted to face Lester. Somehow a sheet was already twisted around one of his legs. "I thought you left without me for a second. And you almost gave me a heart attack," Theo informed him, giving him a nudge with his elbow. Now that the aforementioned heart had slowed back to its normal pace, Theo squinted at him. "I could go back to sleep, you know. You're warm and my bed is super comfy. My dream was interesting, too. I could finish it..." the young man teased, closing his eyes and pretending to sleep as if to emphasize his point.

But no, he was feeling a little more awake and playful than that. It was his turn to ambush Lester! It couldn't be one sided. Suddenly Theo lurched up and toward the white-haired food-bringer, starting up a gentle wrestling match. Managing to pin him down, Theo donned a triumphant smirk and leered down at him. "Gotcha." If this was to set the tone for the day, this would be super fun.

The dumped Theo stretched at Lester’s side, seemingly working out any of the muscle stiffness sleep had forced upon him that he hadn’t been able to properly work out before. After a hearty shoulder pop, he relaxed back into the comfort of his cushy mattress, eyes growing distant when he returned to his dreams. It was funny. Just enough time had passed since waking that it barely lingered on the edges of his remembrance. He had to think about it intensely to draw it back up, let alone try to remember how it seemed to make sense at the time but was quite the opposite. Dreams were weird.

However, never one to deprive another of entertainment, even if it was at his expense, Theo would oblidge his friend. “Midas druids,” he said simply at first, piecing his bizarre dream back together. “I was in the temple of the midas druids to save the world. You see, some evil person turned a ton of lamps into soup cauldrons full of mud that were leaking a darkness that made everything sour and miserable. Now, I like sour. But it was waaaay too much sour. Spicy would have been more evil...either way, it was going to destroy the world. So, obviously, the most celebrated and knowledgable treasure hunter and explorer would be called in to save literally everything. Deep in these ruins, a giant golden lollipop that shoots light beams of edible golden candy was rumored to be hidden away, and it was the only answer to this threat,” continued the man, puffing out his chest in pride despite the entire scenario being nonsense. Turning his head toward Lester, those arctic hues caught the juicy watermelon ones, spurring a brash grin. “It was the most intense expedition I’d ever been on. I was given no information beforehand, since the legend was so old and the area so dangerous. The regular druids could only point me a certain direction, and with that I was left to search on my own. I almost missed the entrance to the temple because trees had taken it over, but nothing missed my watchful stare. The inside was covered in slick moss and moisture from countless rains, making the mazes and booby traps that much more trecherous. However, the further I trekked inside, the more cave-like it appeared. Soon, I realized the temple was attached to a mountain side! I knew it was getting close, because there were waterfalls of jam, candycane stalagmites, and brown sugar quicksand. It was cool.” Theo paused here, craving candy suddenly, as if he hadn’t just gorged on breafast foods leaning on the sugary side already. If only a treasure cave of candy really existed!

It was soon after that thought that he realized he’d forgotten something. “Did I mention I had a team with me? They were little treasure hunter assistant teddy bears. So cute...and pretty helpful to! The bround sugar pit almost got us all, but there was a watermelon boat that saved us so we could get to the next platform. At first it seemed like a dead end, but there was a crack in the wall at the far end. Just as my team and I squeezed through, an army of darkness came for us! It started picking off my cute little bears! I saw the giant golden lollipop on a pillar just ahead, and in a moment of desperation, I forgot to watch out for the most obvious trap. Treasure hunting 101! I pressed a tile near the pillar, unleashing a billion moss monsters. Freaky, leafy ostrich things. We were moments from death, but just as I was about to grab my prize and unleash world saving goodness, I woke up. I hope I got it...” Theo ended his epic tale in a pout, worrying over whether his dream self was able to get himself out of the pickle to save the whole world.

"Thank you." Of course Theo would accept the candied lemon, popping it into his mouth without a second thought. Letting the sweetness rush to his brain, the boy with ebony locks nodded in agreement with his friend. The story needed an ending, so he'd give it one! Closing his eyes, he let his imagination work off of what knowledge he had in the context of the dream world, offering him a vision on the backs of eyelids of where he left off, like an old film reel resuming from an old stopping point.

"Well, I was very close to getting it, but I could feel the wispy tendrils of darkness on the back of my neck. That's not including the plant monsters mere feet away, pouring out of the door right behind the pillar, which wasn't very tall, now that I think about it. One of them could peck me in the leg on the way up, and I think that would infect me with mossitis. A good leap would get me up there, but I'm pretty sure I was getting blighted or mossed wither way. Yeah, the blight was robbing me of my strength and optimism and the notion that I would ever love again. The sourness of misery was clinging to me like a dirty shirt stained with pizza grease," continued the young man, unabashed by the now waking nonsense he was fabricating. He seemed to puzzle for a second or two. "My teddy bears are dying. I've lost nine already, and I'm thinking about giving up. But how could I? I've come so far, and there are still a few left to save. Plus, the Great Treasure King can't fall here! My legacy would end in failure, a real sour note for the world to end on. Heh...sour note... Anyway, everyone is depending on me. With renewed strength, I throw myself at the sweet, glimmering scepter, clutching it as I sail over the pillar and down into the clambering mix of foes below. I'm gobbled up..." The man trailed out of blatant dramatics, pausing to build tension in his continuing story. Or...maybe he'd fallen back asleep...

"BUT THEN!" he exclaimed, eyes shooting open as an impish grin split his face, "From under the teeming baddies, hungering for the their first pounds of flesh in eons, beams of golden light escape from the cracks between. The scent of cherry cotton candy overtakes the dank cave odor just as plant and darkness alike swells as if I great wave rises from beneath. Then BOOM! The darkness demons dissolve in the saving light of the lollipop, heaps of golden candies replacing them. Next the moss monsters fall, revealing me, dressed head to toe in king's clothes fit for a hero. My crown is dazzling..." Theo reached up as if to right the imaginary crown, though clearly it wasn't there. "Now I rush forward, saving the rest of my assistants and leaving glowing gold candies in my wake. With all the evil dispatched, I make my way out of the cave the way I came, traveling the world and saving it one town at a time. The end!" the oldest sugar squad member ended his tale in a flourish, wrapped up in the moment and nearly panting for breath from the intensity.

After a few seconds to bring himself back to reality, he shot a sheepish glance at Lester, only to erupt into laughter seconds later. "Hahaha! Can you tell it has been a long time since I've went on an expedition? You probably think I've lost what little mind you thought I had. I'm so sorry!"

It seemed like after only a short while of travels and banter, they were dropped a short distance from their destination. Close enough to not get too worn out reaching it, but far enough away to not be detected by this certain headquarters. It was cold as heck, though! And even though he had some lovely winter clothes he could have worn, it was hard to be stealthy in such bulky garb. To be honest, he was used to surviving the cold with minimal clothing, since it wasn't conducive to fitting through tight spaces or athletic movements.

Coming to the base of the fifty foot climb straight up the rocky glacier wall serving as the foundation for dark organization's hideout, Theo rubbed his hands together with a devious grin. This might be the first demonstration of his skills to his squad mate. He had told them stories of his abilities, but most of their endeavors had been flat land and combat related. Calling on the elastic-esque qualities of his magic type, he bounced high into the air, gripping onto a rocky crevice at the height of his jump with a jello glopped palm. He was about to look down and show a little cockiness while also making sure Lester was doing alright, only to find the boy sitting in the center of a giant flower, zooming safely passed him as if the petals were propellers. His grin morphed into a pout, and within seconds his other hand and both knees were also coated in sticky jello. He scrambled easily up after Lester, hoisting himself over the edge. So much for being impressive in his "element"...

This was not the time for pettiness. The security on the place seemed pretty top notch. There were guards they had to evade just to try and find an entry point. No need for any restraining or disabling yet. At first it was merely testing windows and door handles for an easy way in. The guards had keys, but that was a last resort. If they could keep as many patrollers in play as possible, there would be no instances where they were discovered as missing during shift change or scheduled check-in reports. The longer they could keep the alert level low, the better.

On a hunch, Theo pressed that he wanted to check the roof. Despite the coldness of the glacier, the view from here was lovely. Even evil people could appreciate nature, so near the top would yield more windows for the higher level people to enjoy, and hopefully a ventilation shaft or a skylight. Theo's luck paid off in full! There was both of those things up there, and with easy access, too. The screws were already loose, and it seemed like a serious oversight in security, but definitely good for the both of them. "Okay, Lester," Theo whispered, nimble fingers jiggling the window pain and the vent cover. Both holes would be big enough for them to climb through, but both lead to uncertain destinations. What if they dropped into a room full of guards and were instantly blown? The tomb raider's expertise remained in uninhabited places, so getting them both up here secretly, finding and entrance, and being the generally stealthy muscle/ backup were all he had to add to his sensitive mission. "Where should be breach? Down from the skylight or into the ventilation system?"

Skylight. Good call. Before entering, at least they could see that they weren't dropping down on anyone. Not to say the entire room was empty of people, but at least they had some space to prepare if someone was there. Fortunately, the room was uninhabited, offering them a reprieve before they ventured forward. It would give him time to get his brain into an even more stealthy headspace. He had to make Lester and the Magic Council proud. Fortunately, most of his spells were pretty good for knocking out and restraining enemies without doing any fatal damage. The sponginess would help him remain silent, and with any luck maybe they'd make it in and out without encountering a single person, like proper spies! As long as he made sure to aim for the body and not the head, since jelloing a person's nose and mouth shut could suffocate them to death...

Theo's mind shifted gears from his magic to briefly wander what the purpose could be of such a room as this. It was indeed class based, or at least where people were mass informed. Was this where all the mindless grunts were given their marching orders from some poor schmuck dubbed the messenger between the lowliest and the highest who couldn't be bothered to handle their own staff? Or maybe this is where there they learned how to handle the care for their ill-gotten exotic animals. Or maybe just boring business meetings with doughnuts. He could really go for a doughnut right now...

As if reading his thoughts, Lester asked if he was hungry. Theo flinched, eyeing the boy and wondering if he should begin wearing foil hats to protect his thoughts before breaking into a light chuckle. Lester's belly was announcing its emptiness. Theo's did that often, especially after using that cursed sword. Either way, with how loud it roared, neither of them could afford their stomachs giving them away as they snuck and crept all over the building, looking for evidence of evil. "Of course I'm hungry. The waffles and muffins can only last so long," he answered, though truly it was just because they were both men with bottomless stomaches. But did that mean Lester brought food with him? Or at least sugared fruits to soothe them until they could complete their goal? Glancing all over his body, he hoped Lester had not just merely asked out of curiosity, since that would be a disappointment now.

The conversation lurched more toward the mission, prompting Theo to pull out his own iLac. It looked pretty much unused, which didn't make much sense unless Lester would notice the perplexed look on his face. The boy with the wispy onyx locks held it awkwardly, the unfamiliarity blatant. After a few moments of silence, seemingly working up his nerve, Theo sighed and held his device out at an angle where both of them could see. Despite the features having words under them, this didn't seem to help the young man. "So...which one of these things makes it take pictures?" he asked, a little ashamed. Eyes as cold as the icy rock wall they conquered scrutinized the screen, hovering on each icon in confusion. After a second, his finger inched toward one that looked a little bit like the camera the reporter for Sorcerers Magazine has used if you looked at it right, but he couldn't be sure. Despite it saying "camera" under it, it didn't matter. Theo couldn't read.

Theo was overjoyed at the sight of the burrito. Catching it, he wasted no time unwrapping it and shoving it in his face, forgetting his confusion over the iLac for a couple seconds. In fact, he almost dropped it while catching his food. However, as he took a bite and savored it, his expression of ecstasy was ruined by Lester's question. He wasn't stupid. A pout threatened his features. He was a little sensitive about it, so he spoke before he thought. "I did!" he answered almost indignantly, though he faltered instantly. actually, it was a valid question considering what he'd just done. "Well... more like home schooled....informal group learning, maybe? We had a teacher. I was taught to read," he tried to explain, knowing full well it was confusing.

Leaning back onto a table and returning to his burrito, he sighed lightly. To be honest it was a miracle they hadn't noticed before now. He never picked the jobs they went on from the board unless they'd read a few aloud first. "I used to be able to read," Theo said quietly, though he'd eased up about the matter. He wasn't ready to go in depth about his past here, but he decided at least clearing this up as simply as possible would make things easier later. What if they were on a mission even more important and dangerous, and he messed it up because everyone assumed he could read. "I went a little too long without oxygen, if you know what I mean." The jello mage grinned, tapping his noggin. Shouldn't be hard to believe. He'd been told he was odd before.

While that might have been the truth, it was the super diet version. Some might call it a lie of omission, but Theo wasn't keen on lying to friends, so he refused to think of it that way. Holding the iLac back up, he gave it a little shake. "This is my first one of these, so without being able to read the little titles, I have no idea how it works other than making calls. I'm okay with numbers. It's just letters that don't make sense anymore. They squiggle and scramble around. What do that call it?" he paused to wrack his brain. Oh, yeah. "Dyslexia."

Inhaling the rest of his burrito, he disposed of the wrapper and went back to examining the icons on his iLac. Learning is best by experience, right? Better get the kinks out now before they were in he heat of their mission. Poking the screen timidly over the camera looking button, he flinched when the screen changed and he now saw Lester's crotch. "A-ah... " he stammered, trying to turn it back off, but instead the shutter sound happened and it took a picture. Now there was a really nice sight frozen on his screen! "Er..." Why was it when new technology and anxiety mixed, it made everything so much worse? If only not being able to read could account for the other reasons working the small contraption was so foreign to him.

"How to...delete...?" he asked, knowing not to press the little white button that made it take the crotch picture. Trying the red button instead, he was relieved to see that there wasn't a new still and it hadn't made the shrkchk noise...but now it was counting. Why was it counting? Finally having the forethought to move it from Lester's crotch, he aimed it at Lester's face to see if that would make the numbers stop, but they kept marching on...by seconds. Turning the phone around, he looked into the lens, now showing Lester the screen with his unfocused iris taking up the screen, dutifully recording this mishap. "Lester....what is it doing? How do I make it stop? Did I set a bomb timer?!" Theo hissed, voice tense but mindfully quiet given their location.

"Oh."

Theo calmed right down at his Butt Brother's words, proving to be a quick study as he absorbed the directions he was given. Now that he understood it more, he could see how this tool could be very useful, especially on this mission. Furthermore, his uses for it while exploring and treasure hunting would be innumerable. He could take pictures of written hints he couldn't read, and of ancient runes to be deciphered. He could effectively map every unknown area to return to later. That was way more accurate than hoping whatever markers he left would remain when he came back. He could draw maps on the go. And, oh my gosh, it had a light built in. That was helpful on its own, since the tool was helpful but often lost in the dangers of his travels. Or the batteries went dead. Or they were bulky. This sleek version would be a convenient auxiliary. His eyes lit up with revelations, though he managed to reel himself back in. "Thanks, Lester. I got it now," he grinned, trying touching the various icons he'd been shown to see it work as intended. Alright. Now he could really help.

Having wasted enough time with his technical issues, Theo turned and slunk to the door. It had a narrow window, so he stealthily ducked under it and inched up slowly until he could see that no one was in immediate sight in the hall. "It looks like the coast is clear...." he informed his partner in hushed tones, gently turning the handle on the door and opening it. He was hyper careful to avoid any creaks, proving useful in the silent department.

Poking his head and shoulders out, he peered both ways. No immediate threats still. After asking Lester which way to go since he had the most intel, Theo lead them both to the right and down the empty hall. He may be generally clumsy, but when his tomb raider mode was engaged, he was downright frighteningly silent on his feet, as if they were wrapped in fluff. That wouldn't be a too far off assumption, since there was actually a layer of squishy jello on the bottom of each foot to further dampen the sounds of already ginger steps.

Theo was worried they were creeping into a trap with the lack of guard presence, but soon that was put to rest. As they reached the end of the very long hall, they came to a fork. A quick glance revealed a guard down the left hall, guarding a heavy door. Like most guards in a usually very secure and never-before-breached compound, he was bored and daydreaming. His eyes stared unseeingly ahead, almost as if he was having a nap with eyes open. That was good for them! Theo snuck forward, inching ever closer to the unaware guard. Before he even knew he was being spied on, Theo's balled fist stuck lightning fast across a lax jaw. The guard started to crumple, but Theo caught him and eased him down quietly.

Turning to the door, he jiggled the handle. Locked. A search of the unconscious guard yielded the lowly scrub wasn't even allowed a key. So he just stood there on the off chance that someone might come and try to pick the lock? No, it had been a decision to prevent just what they were trying to do, but the onyx-haired male didn't seem worried. While he despised thieves, there was a reason for that. He'd been among them at one time in his life and he knew a few things. Reaching into his jacket pocket, he plucked out one of Rin's hair pins. Bending it appropriately, he made surprisingly quick progress with picking the lock and easing the door open, holding it to allow Lester to slink inside. "I hope this is the right room..." he hissed, keeping a lookout until he could get both his friend and the forcibly snoozing lump inside away from any watchful eyes.

The black-haired man dutifully followed his squad mate inside, crouching behind some crates with him. Yep, there were animals here. He could smell them easily. Probably everyone could. It smelled like a zoo, and that evidence alone was enough to rile him up. How could these people be so evil to innocent animals? His mouth pulled down into a soft frown as he peeked over their hiding spot and scanned the room. Animals in the back. Lester was right. There was a room with guards, but none of them seemed to be concerned with looking out the foggy window to keep watch.

"I have an idea."

Usually Theo's ideas were something to be wary of, so this probably brought some unintentional stress to the white haired slayer formerly at his side. 'Formerly' because he'd already rushed off, using his jello to silently slink to the guard room's door. Since Jello wasn't known for being noisy, he stealthily erected a large, sticky blob over the door, door facing, and a bit of the surrounding wall to trap the guards inside even if they were alerted. Theo may be confident in his sneaking abilities, but he wasn't dumb enough to overestimate his ability to remain non-clumsy for too long. If something was to go wrong it would be here, especially since it'd been going to well thus far. Theo could be quite lucky, but relying on it too much usually met a bad end.

That done, he returned closer to Lester, though not all the way behind the crates. "I'll take pictures of the animals since...ah...well, I can't read the papers to know whether to take pictures of them or not," he spoke quietly, smiling a bit ruefully while he idly scratched the side of his cheek. He didn't want to get the wrong thing. The magic council would be peeved with him if that happened.

Scampering off toward the back of the very large room, cages and tanks came into view. There were probably around a hundred animals! Theo's bleeding heart ached as he looked into their sad, scared, and despondent eyes. Rhinos, apes, sharks, tigers, lions, somehow a whale, giraffes, and some creatures he didn't even recognize. It seemed they'd been too late for one, since a small cage to his left was empty. So sad. Realizing he was wasting precious time on feels, he reached into his back pocket to get his iLac...but it was gone. Feeling around on his buttcheek as if his pocket had enlarged itself just to hide his gadget, he started to feel panic. Checking all his other pockets, panic grew. It was gone. How was it gone?! He just had it and got a lesson from Lester not ten minutes ago! Surely he didn't leave it back in that briefing room! Oh no, how unprofessional of him. How could he be so careless! Lester would think he was worthless and never bring him along on anymore important jobs. The squad would devolve into hatred and chaos until it was disbanded and he was alone again! Why oh why had he misplaced such an integral part to the success of this mission?!

Wait...

Theo paused his imagining of the worst case scenario when he sensed a small magical presence. He almost ignored it, but he wasn't Lester, so it could mean danger. A trap? He held very still, training his eyes toward the source. It was behind the whale tank. As he silently crept around, there was a flash and a shutter sound. He'd just heard that earlier....an iLac? Was there a guard back here?! Theo leapt around the corner of the tank, hands at the ready to immobilize the threat, only to find nothing there. No, not nothing. Something. Something small. And furry. And kinda...duck like, with little grabby claws. Grabby claws gripping his iLac, accidentally taking a picture much like he had. The two warm blooded beings stared at each other in surprise, blinking before they both resumed action. The black furball started to run, frantically trying to shove the technology into its pouch that Theo just noticed it had. "Hey, wait!" the young man hissed, giving chase. "Come back here with that, you little thief!" he continued to whisper in annoyance, trying to keep track of the thing. It was a...niffler. He had a stuffed one back in his room. Rin had picked it out. She'd mentioned it was a real thing, but he never thought he'd run into one in person.

The niffler initiated a desperate, cleptomanically fueled game of hide and seek. After a few minutes, Theo was finally able to sneak up behind it and grab hold, reclaiming his iLac and capturing the rude little fellow. But...what could he do with it? Putting it back in its cage seemed...evil. He'd be aiding the recapture and selling of him...well this was a fine mess! As Theo deliberated, a very pissed off niffler chomped his left hand in it's duck-bill mouth. "YA-ouch..." he'd began to yelp in pain, though he managed to quiet himself. It didn't hurt too bad, since the teeth within weren't very long. It was more like getting gripped tightly by two pieces of moist sandpaper with a heavy tooth to it... The niffler definitely wasn't letting go despite his prying, so he'd have to just go on with it.

Using one hand, he began snapping pictures like Lester had shown him of all the animals held captive, plus any other interesting posters, labels, etc he laid his eyes on that might help bring these people down. With his mission more or less accomplished, he returned to his partner's location to check on him, and also maybe get a little help with his new little buddy.

"Lolipop sceptre of gold," Theo corrected without thinking, as if it was a real thing, though he was in no way super serious. Theo was rarely super serious about anything, unless it came to his past. He had been about to just about to start slinging his hand around to try and whip the creature off his hand even if he had to surrender flesh to do so, but of course, Lester had the answer. Food. The way to any creature's heart. The glittering sugar treat caught the niffler's beady eyes immediately. Those thieving little claws reached out for it, though its flat maw was not yet ready to relinquish the appendage it had hold of. Theo took the sweet and continued to tease it, holding it just out of its grasp. "You gotta let go, allasu qalilanaan," he said quietly, tongue slipping into an old habit before he coughed as if he had just been choking. Regardless of the words, the temptation became too much, and soon the niffler opened its mouth and scrambled to Theo's other shoulder to receive his treat. "I guess I can't leave him here to be sold, can I?"

With a now behaved...no, occupied animal on his shoulder, Theo rubbed his sore hand. "I got plenty of pictures after I got my iLac back from Ali Baba here," he said absentmindedly, most of his brain function being spent on operating said gadget. Recalling what Lester had taught him, he found his picture album and started sifting through the images, making sure he'd done it right and that they were actually clear. Thankfully, they were. "Did you get what you needed? If so, we should probably go back the way we came, like we were never here. They won't even know to cover themselves before they are raided. The council will find more evidence that way, and maybe these animals will be safely returned to their homes. At least I hope so...it hurts to see them this way."

Making preparation to leave, he snuck back to the door he'd secured shut with jello and absorbed the substance back into himself, leaving nothing but the scent of lemon behind. Prince Ali continued to happily nom the sweet snack, and all seemed to be going well. The tomb raider made way for the door, cracking it open to peep out. It was still all clear. "Ready, Lester?"